- A woman was charged with animal cruelty after her dog was found dead at Orlando airport in December.
- An affidavit said she was denied boarding due to improper paperwork for the dog.
- It said she boarded a flight to Colombia without reporting the dog’s disappearance to authorities.
A Florida woman is facing aggravated animal cruelty charges after her dog was found dead in a trash can at Orlando International Airport in December.
The State of Florida is prosecuting Alison Lawrence, 57, in a criminal case filed in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court.
An arrest warrant affidavit dated March 17, seen by Business Insider, said that Lawrence was denied boarding with her white miniature schnauzer, Tywinn, due to improper paperwork.
She was traveling on December 16 to Colombia, and health certificates and vaccinations are needed for pets.
After being denied boarding, it is claimed that Lawrence killed the dog inside a women’s restroom near the West Jet ticket counter.
US Customs and Border Protection confirmed that Lawrence proceeded to board her flight to Bogotá.
The defendant had connecting flights to Quito and Cuenca, Ecuador, with no return flight to the US booked.
She did not report the loss or disappearance of Tywinn to airport authorities at any time.
Investigators also found no evidence that Lawrence had attempted to arrange alternative accommodations for the dog.
A cleaner found the dog’s body inside a plastic bag in a bathroom trash can.
Blood was found on the dog’s left leg, and the body was still warm and wet upon examination.
A necropsy determined that the dog died from drowning, and a forensic review of the restroom revealed the presence of water residue consistent with forced submersion.
The toxicology report found no pre-existing medical conditions that could have contributed to the animal’s death.
According to the affidavit, surveillance video showed the dog entering the restroom with Lawrence, and the evidence aligned with an intentional killing of the dog rather than an accidental death.
A Florida driver database search revealed the defendant had used three last names: Lawrence, Holt, and Lichter.
Phone records linked the number on the dog tag to Alison Holt, associated with the same address in Clermont, Florida.
An arrest warrant was issued based on the overwhelming evidence supporting a felony animal cruelty charge. Lawrence was arrested on Wednesday and is understood to have been released on bail.
Lawrence could not immediately be reached for comment. A spokesperson for the Orlando International Airport told BI that the Orlando Police Department is actively investigating the case and declined to comment further.
The airport recommends that passengers flying with small animals check the TSA website for information on how to travel with them safely, the spokesperson said.
